U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION TO HOLD BRIEFING ON HUMAN RIGHTS PLAY ON MAGNITSKY MURDER

Human Rights Play on Magnitsky Murder

Where: 121 Cannon House Office Building

When: Wednesday, Nov. 16th at 6:00 pm

After exposing the largest tax fraud in Russian history, Magnitsky was wrongly arrested and tortured in prison. Six months later he became seriously ill and was consistently denied medical attention despite 20 formal requests. On the night of November 16, 2009, he went into critical condition, but instead of being treated in a hospital he was put in an isolation cell, chained to a bed, and beaten by eight prison guards for one hour and eighteen minutes. Sergei Magnitsky was 37 years old and left behind a wife and two children. Those responsible for this crime have yet to be punished and his story has become a global human rights cause and is emblematic of corruption, violence, and impunity in Russia.

Please join the Helsinki Commission on the second anniversary of Magnitsky’s death for a performance of Russian playwright Elena Gremina’s celebrated theatrical interpretation of Magnitsky’s final moments. The play juxtaposes moving and chilling testimony and documents from Magnitsky's diary; a radio interview with his mother; two judges; a prison doctor and paramedic; an investigator; and a young ambulance paramedic.

“One Hour Eighteen” is produced by Philip Arnoult’s Center for International Theatre Development, with Russian director Yury Urnov and American actors.

The performance lasts just under an hour and will be followed by a staff briefing and discussion